Chapter 1014: Witch Hunt: Six Holy Stakes
Chapter 1014: Witch Hunt: Six Holy Stakes
[Emperor Armor]
Though he had never used it before, he knew from the knowledge he gained that its use came with a steep cost. However, after obtaining [Douion], he realized this power could sustain the usage of [Emperor Armor].
The ability to mend damaged inner consciousness was extraordinary.
This form continued to drain his blood rapidly. If his regeneration couldn't keep up, he would lose all his blood in seconds. The [Nebula Heart] and monster orb continued pumping out a vast amount of best feram, enhancing every cell in his body.
Souta turned his eyes toward them.
"Let's go! This is our final battle!" Gawain shouted, a broad grin on his face.
Arven and Lensa didn't hesitate as they charged toward Souta at high speed.
Swoosh!!
Souta waved his hand, and hundreds of thousands of blood spears emerged from the sea of blood.
"He's gotten stronger... We need to reassess his strength," Layla muttered as she watched from a distance.
The witches observed the dense burst of blood spears. The number of spears was
astronomical, prompting them to retreat several dozen kilometers away. The sheer power made them feel suffocated.
Whooosh!
Arven and Lensa attempted to dodge the blood spears while blocking those they couldn't evade. In the next second, Souta was already beside them.
They widened their eyes, bracing themselves despite their heavy injuries. However, it was in vain. Taking advantage of their weakened state, Souta swiftly moved his sword.
"Die!"
With a fluid motion, Souta passed through them. Space rifted and blood spurted from Arven and Lensa's bodies.
Souta slightly turned his head. "They aren't dead?"
"What a monster," Gawain commented, observing Souta.
He folded space, creating a new layer of space around Arven and Lensa to protect them from Souta's reach. However, Souta sliced through the space.
Souta kicked through the air, charging at Arven and Lensa. His sword emitted blood-colored lightning.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Arven and Lensa were cleaved in two.
Arven spat a mouthful of blood, his vision blurring as he struggled to feel his body. He glanced at Souta and managed, "Destroy the Dream Palace, or we'll just keep coming back..."
With those words, his body fragmented and slowly disappeared into thin air.
The same fate befell Lensa.
Souta frowned as he observed them. He noticed something peculiar-when Arven and Lensa vanished, their souls were absent.
This realization suggested why they could repeatedly return: their souls were likely bound somewhere within the Dream Palace. This also explained why their strength remained consistent; without destroying their souls, their physical forms would endlessly regenerate. Their current bodies were akin to puppets, perhaps explaining the failures with the human- like golems.
"They'll be honored, you know. Arven and Lensa are great knights," Gawain remarked solemnly.
Souta turned towards Gawain, his energy intensifying as he stepped forward.
"It's my turn now!" Gawain raised his sword, grinning widely.
[Eight Stance: Crawling Gale Hole]!
A massive swirling wind formed above, behaving like a black hole, sucking in everything in its path. Descending rapidly, it obliterated the blood spears in its wake.
Swoosh!!
Souta leaped into the air, tightening his grip on his sword.
[First Form: Lifeless Tribulation of the Blood Lightning]!
The two attacks collided, sending shockwaves through the air. The entire area trembled violently as energy levels surged to new heights.
Boom!!
The lightning and wind surged out, devastating a vast swath of the land. Despite the destruction wrought, the colossal Dream Palace remained standing. It would take more than that to breach its dimensional boundaries.
Emerging from the explosion, the figures clashed fiercely in the air, generating successive shockwaves.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gawain chuckled as he wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
"Heh, I see your strategy now."
It had been a while since he'd fought like this, and it thrilled him to his core.
[Ninth Stance: Furious Heaven's Cut]!
Souta grimaced in pain as the attack sliced through his body upon execution. Similar to before, but stronger and more numerous, the cuts added to his agony.
Gazing down at Gawain, Souta charged forward, channeling immense energy into his sword.
With a swift motion, Souta drew back his sword and aimed it directly at Gawain. In the next moment, he hurled the blade with all his strength.
The sword streaked through the air, emanating a crimson light as it tore through the fabric of
space.
Bang!
The resounding impact reverberated through the surroundings, causing visible cracks to
appear in the air.
Gawain's eyes widened in disbelief as he witnessed Souta's sword pierce through his formidable [Ninth Stance]. A peculiar blend of dream power and elemental energy surged through the wound, creating a new force that shattered Gawain's defenses.
"This... This is a fusion of energies, something beyond my expectations. Hahaha! Fascinating!" Gawain exclaimed, his voice tinged with both astonishment and admiration.
The sword plunged deep into Gawain's abdomen, triggering a violent explosion of blood- colored lightning fueled by Souta's [Douion]. The intense energy tore through Gawain's body, causing excruciating pain that he stoically endured, accustomed to suffering as an experimental subject.
"Now! Finish it! Claim your victory!" Gawain laughed heartily, spreading his arms wide in acceptance of whatever fate awaited him. Cracks formed on his body, and his blood began to transform into pulsating blood lightning.
Souta's arms stretched out, releasing tendrils of lightning that spread like a vast spider's web toward the heavens above. His expression tensed with determination as he exerted his full strength to wrench the six holy stakes from their positions.
The entire Walpurgis Night trembled under the strain. The power contained within the holy stakes, relics left behind by the Great Matriarch Le Fay Morgan, pulsed and surged with energy that seemed to defy comprehension.
Across the land, every living being sensed the profound shifts occurring. The dense dream power in the atmosphere swirled chaotically, hinting at an imminent collapse of this realm. Souta's actions were unraveling the very fabric of Walpurgis Night itself, an event that would leave an indelible mark on its history.
Layla, Elder Lincy, Elder Reana, and the other witches could only watch helplessly as Souta seized the six holy stakes, a feat that indicated he had surpassed the initial conditions of the game. His recent outburst had caused casualties among the witches, earning him enough points to qualify for this act, but wielding the holy stakes would not be straightforward due to
their immense power.
"He's taken the holy stakes... Only those who meet the game's first condition can do that," Layla murmured, her voice tinged with resignation.
The stakes, originally intended to confront the black sun housing Purity's power, were now in the hands of a being far beyond their control.
"Do it..." Gawain's voice was resigned yet almost reverent as he watched Souta's actions
unfold.
The fate of Walpurgis Night now hinged on Souta's intentions with the holy stakes, a turn of events that seemed to defy the very purpose for which they were crafted.
Souta gritted his teeth, struggling to harness the power of the holy stakes. With determination etched on his face, he bent his knees and charged towards Gawain, who was
nearing the end of his strength.
As he moved, Souta's form shimmered with a blend of white and red light, intertwining in a complex dance of energy. He collided with Gawain with a resounding impact.
Bang!!
"This has been a remarkable experience... I'm grateful to have lived it," Gawain uttered with a serene smile, his body beginning to dissipate into thin air, leaving only the vajra sword
behind.
Gawain's mortal form succumbed entirely to the overwhelming power of the holy stakes, unable to withstand its force.
Souta grasped the sword and surged forward with relentless momentum. Concentrating the
holy stakes before him, he conjured a vortex of potent energy.
His destination: the Dream Palace, where Eilan awaited.
Boom!
Eilan, engrossed in his ritual, snapped his head up in shock.
"You can't..."
Before he could finish, Souta drove the sword into his stomach. Eilan convulsed in agony as
blood lightning surged through him.
The [Orb of Arcane Seal] encircled Souta as the [Zero Destruction Zone] materialized. "Y-You!!!" Eilan felt himself overwhelmed by immense power, his body slowly succumbing
to its force.
The shadows surrounding the Walpurgis Night began to writhe and burst through the ground.
Eilan was already halfway merged with its darkness.
"ALICE!!!" Souta shouted, applying more pressure against Eilan.
"ON IT!!" Alice's voice echoed as she appeared above them.
Webs encased her limbs, forming a protective barrier against the intense atmospheric
pressure.
"Sever it!" Souta commanded.
Alice fixed her gaze on Eilan, opening her palm as a golden spear materialized.
"[Rhongomiant]!"